I’ve decided to theme the next couple of months under a banner. It makes having to think up ideas a bit easier when the coldest of winter days do in my brain, and also allows a bit more forward planning than has previously been the case. There’s a lot of behind the scenes organisation being pushed forward for other stuff as well, to allow me vital time in 2020 to… well, look after myself more.
Therefore, we are starting 2020 with the theme of HOPE because after the last few weeks in the UK, everybody could do with being helped to believe that there are better things ahead. I can’t change the political climate or instantly improve environmental issues that everybody should be considering as urgent, but there are ways and means to make everything better. Hope can help with so much, and not just for ourselves.
It will also be the first opportunity for me to see if all that practice in the last six months, the numerous rejections and polite silence means I’ve actually learnt anything as a poet. Undoubtedly 2019’s been my journeyman year, lots of polishing and rebuilding the building blocks for larger, more ambitious projects. With the announcement of a 2020 Mslexicon it will be time to try and make the cash required to get myself back to Leeds.
That will mean trying to attract interest in my work, enough that people may pay me for the content. I was reminded yesterday that I only have myself as promotions manager, and if I don’t sell the skills available, nothing’s gonna happen. Therefore, next week there will be some effort to get my donation methods more prominently displayed on my webpages and social media feeds.
After that, I just have to put in the hours. Success only happens with hard work and application. The hope is, of course, that this year one of those many things I’ve written might finally stick on a target and gain me some much-needed publicity. I read someone say this year that a poet needs to work for five years to create a realistic body of work… which means this could still be a long road.
We will see.
The Internet of Words 
You must be logged in to post a comment.